Tool for cutting and removing pipe from wells



! April 1927' J. B.-REILLY ET AL TOOL FOR CUTTING AND REMOVING PIPE FROMWELLS Filed July 19. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 1927. April J. B. REILLY ETAL TOOL FOR CUTTING AND REMOVING PIPE FROM WELLS Filed July 19. 1923 4Sheets-Sheet 2 gwwntou F V c 61m: new

1,625,39 Apnl 1927' J. B. REILLY ET AL I TOOL FOR CUTTING AND REMOVINGPIPE FROM WELLS Filed July 19. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 7 1,625, 91 Apnl1927' J. B. REILLY ET AL 3 TOOL FOR CUTTING AND REMOVING PIPE FROM WELLSFiled July 19. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gluon 1min as, t

a alto: may) Patented Apr. '19, 1927.

; I .U STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

JOHN B. nnrimm'or wnrr'rmn,

SIGNORS '10 KAMMERER CORPORATION;

conronarro'n or oanrr'onma. v

AND CHARLES H. STONE, OI REEL, CALIFORNIA, AS-

OF SAHTA FE SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, A

root ron currme Ann nnnovme r121: irnox wanna.

Application m July 1 9, 192:; Serial ;m,n1-,'.na in amt 3mm October a.1923.

This invention "relates to that type of toolemployed in the welldrilling art for cutting pipe in the well, and it can also be-used forremoval of cut-olf sections of the pipe. Such a tool is in frequentintheholer 3 The invention is an improvement over. that disclosed inUnited States LettersPatent No. 1.2771500, issued"to'George Kammerer -flied form of tool embodying the invention,

September a, 1918. Thi sapplieationis a continuation in part of ourearlier applica 7 tion Serial No; 584,277 filed-August 2-5, 1922.

' An important simplify get out oforder when in use.

Another important ob ect 1s cutter blades 'in a manner'to permit of thenecessity of co-action between thetool and v several different insertedin a casing of small diameter relative tothe diameter'of the pipe to beout within the casing. 4 i l Another ob'ect is to provide for holding ofthe cutter b tracted position and for re ease thereof by upward motionoflhe. tool body-.

Another object is to make provision for automatic and semi-automaticfeeding of the cutter blades to the pipe or stem being cut. a' T IAnother object of the pipe at-any tool being is 'to provide at cutting.

thepipe'collar or coupling.

Other objects" and advantages will appear in the sub-joined detaileddescription.

The accompanying drawings illr ,trate forms of the'invention:

Figure 1 is alongitudin'al section of a tool. embodying the invention aha w cut. of the member for-rotating it also "mg shown. Theparts are-inthepositionsthey' occupy when the tool isbeing lowe'redinto the well. xFig. 2 is-a' sectional elevation Figure 1 with "the parts in thepositions they occupvafter the cutter blades have been into engagementwiththe Pi e that is'to be operated on, a fragment 0 t 1 being-shownpartly in SGtlOIl.

' Figs. .3, 4and 4" are plan sections on the similar to demand forcutting the, drill" pipe orstemwhen it becomes stuck tionpand the partswithin the tubular body object of the inventionis to the tool, -reduc ing the number ofworking parts so asftojnake it less liable-to.

to mount the of the,

lade actuatin member in re-' Figs.-.11.and

-on the lines'indicatedby 11=-11, 12-42,

desired point'without-the- "Fi re 10.

epipe pines indicated (by 4 -4 and 4--4-,

in elevation.v The cutter blades are omitted from their slots.

Fig.7 isa sectional elevation of a modia'fraglncnt of the member forrotating the 7 tool also being shown. The tool is shown in lace aroundthe pipe that isito be cut. he fluid for producing pressure within thetopldfor feeding of the cutter blades is indica e Fig. 8 is an enlargedplan section on theline indicated by 8-'8 Figure 7.

Fig; 9 is an enlarged sectional elevation bearing with its diaphragm,together with the spring and blade-actuating mem- Fig. 10 'is asectional'elevation of a thirdform of tool'embodyingthe invention, someof the parts being shown in the positions they occupy when the tool isbeing lowered around the pipe that is to:beicut,a i rag*- ment of whichis-also shown. I

12 are enlarged plan sections ig. 13 is an'enl'arged sectional detail ofoneof the arms or dogs in Fig; 10' adapted to engage a shoulder on themember that is to be cut, a-portion. of the member on "-whic'hflt'he dogis movably mounted also'being SllOWIlxlIlSQCiIlOUL I 14' isl'a'sectional detail similar to- .Fi Fig. it-3 showing the. dog in retracted:position.in-coutact with the periphery of the collar or coupling of thepipe, a fragment of which is. shown .in elevation.

' Fig. 15 is a sectional elevation of'a fourth (form of ltoollembod'ing. th: invention, a fragment of the mem being shown and the partsbeing in the positions they occupy when the tool is being lowered aroundthe pipe that is to be cut, a fragment ofwhich is also shown n'elevaerfor rotating it also Fi .16 is a'plan section on the line indicated by16-16, Figure 15. The'form ofthe invention illustrated in El lres 1 to 6inclusive will first bedescribed. There is provided anydesired number ofcutter blades 11 movably mounted in longitudinally extending slots 12 ina tubu- Ian body 13. In this instance the cutter blades llarerotatablymounted in the slots 12 being pivoted at 14to the body 13. The

tubular body 13 is adapted to be lowered oiter the'pipe or drill stemthat-is to becut.

The pipe or drill stem t-hatis to be cut will be maintainedsubstantially concentric of the body 13, while thecutting operationisprogressing, because of the'provision of a plurality of the cutterblades 11, there be1ng, in this instance, three such blades arrangeduidistantly around the body; The cutter b ades 11 preferably extendupwardly from their pivots 14 .so that, even though the cutter bladeswere to swing inwardly into engagement with the pi e over which the toolis being lowered, sai cutter blades will not catch,.as the tool islowered, upon any 'Bll0llld0IS or otherprojections that may be Jon thepipe. The cutter blades will drag overthe pipe couplings duringdownwardmotion of the tool and will be deflected o utwardly byengagement with such couplings.

. Thus,'by this construction and arrangement of the cutter blades, Iavoid the necessity of employing springs for holding the cutter bladesretracted.

To-positively force the cutter-blades inwardly into engagement with thepipe or stem that is to be cut, there are'provided cutterblade-actuating means comprising, in this instance, a blade-engagingmember 15. Though said bladesengaging member may be of any suitableshape, we prefer to make it annular; as shown. When the member 15 isheld stationary and the member 13' is raised, said member 15 engages theupper ends of the cutter blades 11 and rotates said blades inwardly anddownwardly to the cutting position, as in Figure 2. Preferably .thelower end of the member 15 is provided with notches 16, the outer wallsof which are beveled inwardly and upwardly. These slots registenwiththeblades 11 and the beveled walls function as cam faces for engagingthe cutter blades. Preferably the upper ends of the cutter blades arebeveled complementarily to the beveled wallsof the slots 16 so that theblades will ride smoothly on said beveled walls.

The upper portion 'of the tubular body 13 is of enlargedint-ernaldiameter, as indi-,

cated at 17, and within this enlarged portion is mountedabearingcomprising upper and lower tubular ball race members 18, 19 and balls-20between them so as tocon'stitute an antifriction bearing. i

Between the lower bearing member 19 and the blade-engagement member 15is interposed a coil spring 21. The body 13 can be rotated around thebearing member 18 which carries a number of yieldable arms 22secured attheir lower ends to said bear-- ing member. These arms 22, in thisinstance,-

extend aslant upwardly and inwardly so that when the tool is raised,after lowerin around the pipe I) that is to be out, said arms engagebeneath one of the couplings a of the pipe 6. The arms 22 ma be of anysuitable construction and are yie dinglyheld in engagement with the pipethat is to be cut. This-is eifected by suitable springs and, in thisinstance, the arms 22 themselves constitute spring members, but it is tobe understood that the arms and springs may be separate, a mechanicalequivalent that is readily understood without s ecial illus: trationandldescription. In t is instance three arms 22 are employed, though itis to be understood that the number may be increased or diminished, ifdesired.

.The upper end of the tubular body 13 is suitably connected to an oeratin member which, in this instance, is ormed y tubing 23, theconnection with the tubing being effected by a couplin 24 to which thebody 13 is screwed as in icated at'25.

In the drawings the body 13 isformed, in part, by a shoe 26 which isinternally beveledoutwardly and downwardly at its lower end at 27'sothat, if the shoe strike an obstruction while it is descending, it willcut the obstruction away.

The member 15 is temporarily secured to the body 13. while the tool isbeing lowered into the well, so as to prevent relative movement betweenthe cutter blades and the cutter blade engaging member 15, thus avoidingactuatin g'ofthe blades. In this instance the relative motion isprevented by a shear pin or pins 28 connecting the body 13 to the member15.

v The member 15 is prevented from turning relative to the body 13 by aspline 151 fixed in said body and projectinginto a splineway 152 in theouter face of the member 15. To limit upwardmotion of the member 15,after shearing of the pins, 28, as will be maderlcar hereinafter,thebodv 13 is provided with screws 153 projecting into slots 154 in themember 15, said slots terminating above the lower end of said member.

To limit downward motion of the member 15, after shearing of the pins28, the body 13 is provided with an internal shoulder 155' to engage.the lower'end of the member 15.

In practice, when it is desired to cut a string of pipe in the well,iotexample, a drill stem, the tool with the shearpins .28 in place willbe lowered over the drill stem by means of the tubing23 to approximatelvthe level at which the stem isto be out. Then the tool will beraised tobring as the body 13 is raised;

the upper ends of the arms 22 into en agement with the shoulder formedby the ower end of the coupling a,to effect shearing of the pins 28 andthus release the body 13 from the member '15'. The cam faces of theslots 16 then function as wedges to force the cut-. ter blades inwardlya ainst the drill stem. Then'the tubing 23 will be rotated by any of theusual mechanisms employed for rotating drill stems, or by-other suitablemechanism. so as to cause the-cutter blades 11 to cut the' drill stem,the cam faces of the slots lfioperating, as the spring 21 automaticallyfeeds the member 15-, to gradually feed the .cutter blades toward thedrill stem as the depth v of the cut increases. The expansive force ofthe spring-21 may be increasedat any time, if found desirable, byfurther raising of thebody 13 to compress the spring to a greaterdegree'betwee'n the member 15 and bearingmember 19. When the cutting ofblades 11.will not'be forced to take too deep a cut, and thus endangerbreaking 'of the cutter' blades, since the sprin 21 will ield 1%1118 itwil be clear that' the cutter blades are yieldingly held andautomatically fed toward their work though, at the same time the feedmay be more or less controlled by raising of the body 13 slower orfaster.

'After the cutting'operation has been completed, the tubing 23 will bewithdrawn from .the well andwith it-the body Y13 and its associatedparts and, since the arms 22 engage beneath the coupling a, thiswithdraw ing movement causes the upper cut oil seccutting position and.enab

tion of the drill stem or fish as it is commonly termed in thi's art, tobe raised at the same time until the upper endof said fish is above thetop of the well, whereupon the "fishwill be hoisted out of the well. Ifit be necessary to remove more of the .drill stem,-the tool will belowered again so as to make another cut and. raise the fis'h...Tl1us thecutting operations 'and'raising of the cutoff sections of the drill stemwill be continued until the well iscleared of the same,

or as much of it as it'is desired to remove. -If the arms v22 bendsuflicien'tly under the weight of the fish, during the raising thereof,the cutter blades themselves will operate to raise the cut allsection,-since said cutter bladeswill project beneath thecut end of theder 155; 1

pying much less radial space than when in inserted in a'casing ofcomparativelyfsmall diameter.

ing the tool to be When the tool is being lowered into the well, upwardmovement of the member 18 relative'to the body 13, caused, for example,by friction between the arms 22 and the pipe,

is limited by reason of the member 18 en- 1'15, and are furtherrotatable by relative movement between the members 13, 15 to cut thepipe, the arms 22 are connected with i the cutter bladeactuating member15 and engage the shoulders formed by one end of the coupling a to holdthe member 15 against longitudinal movement relative to the pipe,

and the tubing 23 constitutes means connected with. the member 13"tomove said member. I

Now referring more particularly to the form of the invention illustratedin Figures 7, 8 and 9, the elements having the same functions as thosedescribed above will be. designated by the same reference characterswith letter mdices a, thus avoiding the necessity .of repeating thedescription that applies to both forms. In this instance the pipe'couplingis not relied upon for holding the blade-actuating member whilethe toolbody is raised; Instead of the arms 22, previously.described,the .upper bearing .mem

ber 1-8 is provided with a suitable flexible packing collar-29 adaptedto surround andv engage the pipe around which the tool is lowered so asto pack off the space above the bearing member 18 -.from the space belowsaid bearing member. The collar 29 may be made of-leather-or othersuitable material and,'in'this instance, is stiffened somewhat 'by metalstrips 30secured at intervals to the inner face of the. collar, asclearl shown in F1gure 9.- Themetal strips 30 a so func between thecollar and the pipe. The collar-29 is secured'by screws 31 or other fastenors to the upper-bearing member 18.

fish and the blades will be 'supportedby the ,member 15,. which restsuponfthe shoul- To cut pipe-with the form of the invention illustratedin .Figures 7"to 9, the toolwill be lowered, as before-described, toapproximately any-position at which the cut is to be made and then' afluid, indicated at c in Figure 7, will be dischargedinto the tubing 23so ast-o till the space between the-tubing 23*and thejpipe b a that isto be out. Then the tubing 23 will be raised against the pressure offluid on the. collar 29 -so as to force the'cutter blades inwardly, aa

tion totake thewear occasioned by friction before described. Thepressure of the fluid c holds the member 15 as the body 18 is beingraised. Other than this the operation is the same as for the form of theinvention shown in Figures 1 to 6.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figures 10 to 13 inclusive willnow be described, the elements functioning the same as those previousldescribed being indicated by the same re erence characters with letterindices b. This avoids the necessity of describing elements that havebeen hereinbefore .fully describedj The bearing'member 18 is provided atits upper end with yieldable arms 22 in the form of pivotally mounteddogs of semicircular form. The dogs QQ have a pivotal connection withthe bearing member 18 so thatsaid dogs can swing toward and from theaxis of the tool. In this instance, thepivotal connection is formed byinter-engaging tongues 32, 33 on the bearing mem ber 18" and dogs 22.The tongues 32, 3?

are constructed with curved faces, the curvesbeing drawn from a commoncenter so that the dogs will move freely on their connections. Thisconstruction is clearly shown in Fi ure 13. In operation, when loweringthe too around the pipe to be out, the dogs 22 will readily drag uponthe outer face of the pipe the COHPlIII S of said ipe thrustin the do soutwardly, as in Fig. 14. VVheh the tool body 18 is raised to effectshearing of the pins 28, the dogs 22' will engage the shoulder formed bythe lower end of the coupling a", as in Fig. Thus, this form of theinvention functions exactly the same as the form first described.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figures 15 and 16 will now bedescribed, the

elements that function the same as those described in connection withFigures 1 to 6 being designated b the same reference char acters asemployed in said figures with the addition of letter indices 0. Theprincipal differences between this form of the invention and thatillustrated'in Figures 1 to 6 is the omission of the coil spring betweenthe cutter blade actuating. member 15 and member 18 corresponding to theup er bearing member 18 in Figure 1, and tie omission of theantifriction bearing. In this instance the member 18 bears directlyagainst the member 15. The member 18 is provided with spring arms 22which function the same as the arms 22 previously described.

In describing above the operation of the form of the inventionillustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, mention was made of holding the cutterblade-actuating member against upward movement by the fluid pressureupon' the collar 29 while raising the tool body. It is, however, to beunderstood that, since relative movement between the body andbladeactuatmg member is what causes release of the blade-actuatingmember from the body and feeding of the cutter blades to their work, thetool body may be held against downward motion and the fluid pressureincreased to a' degree that will effect shearing of the pins 15- andconsequent release of the blade-actuating member and feeding of thecutter blades.

iVe claim:

'1. A tool of the class described comprising relatively movable members,pivoted cutter blades oscillatable from collapsed position into cuttinposition by relative movement between themembers, yieldable arms on oneof the members engageable with a shoulder on the pipe that is to be cut,and means connected with the other member to move said other member.

'2. A tool of the class described comprising relatively movable members,pivoted cutter blades oscillatable from collapsed position into cuttingposition by relative move ment between the'members and further rotatableby relative movement between the members to out pi e positioned betweenthe cutter blades, yiel able arms connected with one of'the membersengageable with a shoulder on the pipe, and means connected with theother member to move said other member.

3. Atool of the class described comprising relatively movable members,cutter blades mounted for turning from collapsed position into cuttingposition by relative movement between the members, yieldable arms on oneof the members enga cable with a shoulder on the pipe that is to e cut,and means connected with the other member to move said other member.

4. A tool of the class described comprising relatively movable members,cutter blades mounted to turn from collapsed position into cuttingposition by relative movement between the members and further turned byrelative movement between the members to cut ipe positioned between thecutter blades, yie dable arms connected with one of the membersengageable with the pipe to hold said member against movement in onedirection, and means connected with the other member to move said othermembody to cut the pipe and thereafter-operative to raise the cut-offportion of the pipe, said cutter blade being pivoted at its lower end soas to swing outwardly, and slip over obstructions on the pi e when thetool is being lowered into cutting position.

GQA tool of the class described comprising-a tubular bod adapted to slipover a pipe, a cutter'bl e pivoted in the body to to prevent operationof the first mentionedlie approximately longitudinally of the body,means to r'otate'the tubular body, and yieldable means engageable with ashoulder on'the pipe to rotate the cutter blade into engagement with thepipe;

7; A tool of the class described comprising a tubular body adaptedtoslip overa comprising .a tubular body, a cutter blade pipe, a cutterblade pivotally supported at 1t's lower 'portion so as to swingoutwardly or to lie, approximately longitudinally of the body with itscutting. edge pointing up.- wardly, means .to rotate the tubular body,and means to rotate the cutter blade into ongagement'iwith the pipe. I Qi 8. A tool .of the character described comprising a tubular bodyadapted to slip over a: pipe, a cutter blade mounted for movement withrespect to the body, means operable by verticalmovement of the body inone direc- 'tion to feed the cutter blade toward the pipe,

andmeans releasable by'said vertical movement under only realt-ivelygreat, pressure means, the first mentionedfmeans including a springoperating when the second mentioned means isi 'released to automaticallyfeed the cutter blade toward the ipe.-

9. A tool of the class describe comprisin aaftubular body, means torotate and notch to engage the cutter blade, and yield- "raise thetubular body, a cutter blade mount.- -ed to turn in the tubular-body,ajblade-actuatin'g. member insideof the body to engageand turn thecutter blade, and, yieldable means" connected with the blade-actuatingmember I for engaging the pipe to resist movement of the blade-actuatingmember while the body. is being raised. p

10. Atool-of'the class described comprising a tubular body, meanstorotate-and raise the tubular body, a cutter blade mounted to turn in thetubular body, a blade-actuating-member inside'of the body having a .ablemeans connected with the blade-actuating member for-engaging;themovementof the blade-actuating member "and engageable with the bladeto operate 11. A tool of theclass descrl said blade, a'shearpinconnecting the body ing a tubular body,

pipe to resist member'- inside of the body having a notch to engage thecutter blade, the outer wall" of r thenotch being beveled nwardly andrip-'- wardly, and'yieldable means connected with the .bladeactuating,member for engaging ing a tubular the tubular body, a cutter. blade"m'ovably e to resist moveme'ntflofithe blade-r .Lmounted in the tubularbody andiadapted to I lie retracted" up I of the body, an [meansincluding a spring roximately .lo'n-gitu means to rotate and raise a thetubular body, a cutter blade mountedtoturn in the tubularbody, ablade-actuating i a y operable by upward movement of the tubular body tomove the'cutter blade from rejtracted position to cutting position, theexpansion of the spring thereafter operating as the sole power tofeed'the cutter blade inwardly.

13.;A tool of the character described shiftably mounted to move towardand from the axis of said body,- mea'ns to actuconnected with the cutterblade actuating means to engage a. drill stem to .hold the bladeactuating means against upward movement.

14. .A tool of the character described comprising a body, a cutterblade-movablyate the cutter -blade,and a dog-pivotally mounted in thebody, a cutter blade actuatcutter, said means being releasedby relativemovement between the blade-actuating member and body, and means to holdthe blade-actuating member against longitudi-- .nal-movement relative tothe pipe being operated on. v

'15'. A tool of the character described comprising a body, a cutterblade m'ovably mounted in the body, a cutter blade-actuating-membershiftably. mounted in the body and engage'able with the blade to operate.said i-blade, a spring-to move the blade-actuating member towardthecutter blade, means to 're-leasably hold the blade-actuatingmemberagainst the pressure of the spring, said means being released byrelative movement between the blade-actuating ing member shittablymounted in the body and blade-actuating member, and mean's't'o hold theblade-actuating member against longitudinal movmeentrelative to-the pipebeing-operated on. 17. A toolof raising of the tubular body-to rotatethe,

the fcutter 'blade,-

18. A5 tool, of the character :described comprising relatively movablemembers, cutter blades rotatable from collapsed po sition 1 into cuttingposition by relative movement between the members, yieldable' I thecharacter described comprising. a tubular body, a cutter blade,rotatably mounted in thetubular body, and; means including a springoperatableflby lli cutter blade from"retracted position to cut--.

ting. position, said spring operating to feed arms on one of the membersengageable with the pipe that is to be cut to hold said member againstmovement. and means connected with the other member to move said othermember.

19. A tool of the class described comprising relatively movable members,a cutter blade rotatably mounted in one of said members, the othermember having a notch to engage the cutter blade, and yieldable meansconnected with one of said members for engaging a projection on the pipeto hold said member against movement.

20. A tool of the class described compr1sing relatively movable members,a cutter blade rotatably mounted in one of said members, the othermember having a notch and the outer wall of the notch being beveled andengaging the cutter blade, and

yieldable means connected with one of said members for engaging aprojection on the pipe to hold said member against movement.

21. A tool of the class described comprising relatively movable members,a cutter blade movably mounted in one of said members and adapted to lieretracted approximately longitudinally thereof and to be en aged by theother member. and means incliring a spring operable by relative movementbetween said members to move the cutter blade from retracted position tocutting position, the spring thereafter operating to feed the cutterblade inwardly.

Signed at Brea, California, this 9th day of July 1923.

JOHN B. REILLY. CHARLES H. STONE.

